Savage Vicious Heir: Part Two: A dark high school bully romance

31. Elliot

ELLIOT

Fury floods through my system as Scott marches into the Chapel as if he still belongs here.

It might have been his home before it was ours, but his presence is no longer accepted.

Moving as fast as my legs will carry me, I stand in front of Abigail.There is no fucking way I’m going to subject her to any more of my family’s bullshit.

She’s already endured more than enough.

“Get out,” I say, my voice making me sound way calmer and in control than I actually feel.

My entire body is already trembling with pent-up adrenaline from the past few days.

Unsurprisingly, Scott doesn’t make any kind of effort to do as I say, instead, he widens his stance and lifts his chin.

“You’re not welcome here,” I try again.

“And yet, little brother, I seem to be standing right here in front of you.”

My teeth grind in irritation as a smirk pulls across his lips.I startle when a warm hand lands on my waist before the heat of Abigail’s body burns my back.

Her touch, her support, is everything.

But this isn’t a fight I want her anywhere near.

“What do you want? I have nothing to say to you.” I ask, moving forward, more than prepared to physically throw him out if I have to.

“I’m surprised you need to ask that question. I’m not the one who’s playing stupid games, now, am I?”

I scoff. “I don’t believe that for a minute.”

As I close the space between us, he begins to shake his head.“I’m disappointed in you, you know that, little brother?”

“I don’t give a shit what you think about me,” I sneer.

“Giving it all up for a weak damaged girl like her,” he says, his eyes shifting from mine to Abigail.“I always knew you weren’t cut from the same cloth as me and Dad, but I didn’t realise you were so fucking pathetic.”

“Do not talk about her like that?” I warn, my fists curled at my sides, my mouth watering for the pain wiping that smug fucking grin from his face will cause.

It’s been a few years since we really went at it, but I am fucking ready for it.

“Elliot,” Oak warns.

“He’s right, you should leave,” Reese adds.

I sense all three of them step up behind me, also blocking our view from the girls.

“All as bad as each other,” Scott muses. “Bunch of fucking pussies.”

“That’s enough,” Theo barks.

“Oh no. After what this prick has done, it’s not nearly enough,” Scott announces, his eyes firmly locked on mine. “You’re a disappointment, Elliot. You don’t deserve to be a fucking Eaton.”

“Fuck you,” I spit, closing the last bit of space between us.

“She’s fucked with your head, little brother. She’s twisted everything up, and made you feel sorry for her with her pathetic stories and her ugly scars. She’s?—”

“Elliot, no,” Abi cries before she suddenly appears between me and Scott.

“Aw, look. She’s even trying to fight your battles for you.”

“Abigail,” I warn, reaching for her arm to pull her back.

I don’t trust a single hair on Scott’s head, I certainly don’t want him within touching distance of my girl.

Throwing his head back, he laughs. “Do you remember how pathetic she looked that night in the pub? Fuck. I knew it was going to be good, but I never could have imagined that.”

“Shut up,” I spit, tugging Abi back towards me.

“Abs, it’s okay. This is between the two of them,” Oak says. “Tally?” he asks.

There’s movement behind me but I don’t turn to look, instead, I keep my eyes trained on Scott.

My chest heaves as I continue staring at him, my fists clenching and unclenching.

“No,” my girl cries.

“It’s okay. Let them do what they need to do,” Raine says.

“You’re going to regret this,” Scott warns. “Eaton’s don’t give up their futures for a girl. Especially not one as pathetic as Judge Bancroft’s daughter.”

“Then maybe I’m not a fucking Eaton after all. Have it. All of it. I don’t fucking want it,” I shout.

“And what are you going to do? Live a quiet little life with your woman,” he scoffs. “Please. That isn’t a fucking life.”

My nostrils flare with anger.

“Dad was right. He’s been saying it since the day you were born. You’re an embarrassment. A disgrace. We’re better off?—”

I move faster than Scott is expecting, and I catch him completely off guard as my fist collides with his cheek.

A loud crack rips through the air before Abigail screams behind me.Hearing her gives me pause and it’s long enough to allow Scott to recover and retaliate.

His punch hits me square in the jaw, but I take it easily before launching myself at him.

“Elliot, stop,” Abi screams, but her words barely register.

The red haze of anger has descended and the only thing I can focus on is hurting Scott.

I’ve hated him all of my fucking life.

Every single day he’s looked down on me, belittled me.

I’ve always held back from doing what I really wanted to do for fear of the repercussions.

But now.

Now I don’t give a fuck.

But for every hit I get in, he manages to one as well.

We’ve both trained for rugby all our lives and we’re pretty evenly matched in height and weight. So as much as I might want to pummel him into the ground, he can hold his own.

Unfortunately for him, though, he doesn’t have anyone to fight for like I do.

Sure, he has Zoey, but he doesn’t really love her.

They’re just putting on a good show because they have to. Just like I’d have been forced to do with Lauren if Abi didn’t show me it didn’t have to be that way.

“Stop it. Please,” she begs as Scott stumbles back. His face is already swelling, blood trickling from both his lip and his eyebrow.

“I’m done,” I shout, spittle flying everywhere as I wipe blood from my own chin. “I’m done with you. I’m done with him. I’m done with it all.”

Scott glares at me. He looks like he wants to continue. He fucking can. I’ll go all fucking night if he wants to. But something tells me that he already knows he’s lost.

I hope it fucking hurts.

“You’re going to regret this. You’ll be a no one.”

“Bring it fucking on.”

“And these lot,” he says, throwing his arm in the direction of my boys who are standing behind me. They might not have thrown any punches, but they’re here to fight with me. Fighting for me. “They’ll leave you. They don’t want a friend like you. A friend who walks away from everything good in his life.”

“No, they won’t,” I say confidently, and in silent agreement, all three of them stop closer. “They’re my family. You’re… nothing.”

“No,” a soft voice cries before footsteps move closer and a small body presses up against my side.

When I look over, I find all the girls have joined us.

A united force.

“We’re family. All of us. And we don’t need anything else,” Abi says firmly, once again standing up for me without fear.

This girl.

This fucking girl. She’s something else.

“Fine,” Scott says, looking between each of us. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Without another word, he spins around and stumbles away.

The sound of the front door slamming behind him rips through the Chapel a second before Abi falls apart.

“Shit,” I gasp, wrapping my arms around her, I hold her tight as pain sears through my body. “It’s okay, Red. I’m okay.”

Long minutes pass as she trembles and sobs against me.

Everyone else moves around us as if we’re not there as they tidy up and get to grips with what just happened.

“Shh, everything is okay. It’s over, baby. It’s just you and me now.”

It takes her a second to register the words, but the moment she does, she pulls her face from my chest and looks up at me through tear-filled eyes.

“Are you sure it’s what you want?” she whispers brokenly.

I smile down at her, wincing when my lip cracks open.“More than anything, Red. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Okay, love birds. As cute as this is, someone needs to clean Elliot up before he stains his precious flagstone floor,” Oak teases.

A frown appears across Abigail’s forehead as if she’s only just seeing me for the first time. “Oh my God, Elliot, your face.”

“It’s nothing. I can barely feel it.”

“Liar,” Reese coughs.

“Come on, let me clean you up.”

Her small hand slips into mine and I’m powerless but to allow her to tow me towards the sofa where a first aid kit awaits.

Sitting back, I tap my lap, encouraging her to get as close as possible.

“Elliot,” she warns. “You’re hurt.”

“And I need my girl. Straddle me, Red. Let me feel your hot little body against mine.”

“Christ,” Theo mutters.

I get it. They’re not used to me being so tactile with anyone, but they’re gonna have to get used to it.

This is it now.

Me and Abigail.

Us and our family.

A rush of unease goes through me as I think about what Dad’s next move will be. But I figure that we’ll handle it.

“What happens now?” Reese asks once they’re all sitting back around us.

I shrug one shoulder as Abigail gently drags a wipe across my bottom lip. It stings like a bitch but I don’t let them know it.

“I guess that’s for me and Abi to decide.”

“Do you really think your old man will just let it go?”

A bitter laugh spills from my lips, making Abigail tense on my lap.“Not a chance. But there’s very little he can do at this point.”

“What about uni?” Oak asks. “Will you still get into SCU without your connections?”

“I really fucking hope not,” I confess.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Theo asks.

“It means…” I swallow nervously as they all stare at me. “It means that I’m not going to SCU in September.”

“What?” Reese baulks. “But?—”

“But nothing. My whole life has been dictated by him. By them. It’s not anymore. My life—our lives—are ours to do with what we want.”

“So what are you going to do?” Liv asks.

“Honestly, I’ve no idea. I still want uni, sure. But Abi isn’t going next year, so maybe I’ll wait for her. We can go together wherever the hell we want.”

Silence follows my confession.

“You can’t do that,” she says quietly. “You’ve been working so hard and?—”

“My results will still be there next year,” I assure her, reaching up to cup her cheek. “And you’ll be ready then too.”

“But what will you do?”

“Get a job,” I guess. “I’m pretty sure my trust fund just vanished before my eyes.”

“We don’t need their money,” Abi assures me.

“I’m not taking your money, Red.”

“We all have money,” Oak says. “Scott is wrong, in case you wondered. We’d never abandon you.”

“Guys, I appreciate it, but I don’t need money from any of you. I’ll figure this out. One day at a time, yeah?”

Silence falls between us, my words hanging heavy in the air.

It’s Theo who finally breaks it. “Do you think…” He pauses, not wanting to continue with his question.

“Spit it out, Ashworth,” Reese teases.

“Do you think you’ll have to move out of here?”

His question hits me with the force of a baseball bat.

Ripping my eyes from Theo, I look around our home.Pain spreads from my chest at the thought of having to leave this place.But it’s only a few more weeks.

“We had a good year, didn’t we?” I murmur.

Besides, as sad as it is that this will all be over soon, there’s excitement for the future.

My future with the girl I love.